Connecting device for electric circuits



Dec. 6, 1924. 1,519,195

s. M. ESLER CONNECTING DEVICE FOR ELECTRIC CIRCUITS Original Filed Aug. 7, 1919' 7 7 7.4 7/177765/37 [WWW/far WM/%M mm/e/ ZZi/er Patented Dec. 16, 1924.

UNITED STATES OFFICE.

SAMUEL M. ESLER, OFMARION, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR T0 ESLER ELECTRIC MANUFAC- TURING COMPANY, OF MARION, INDIANA, A CORPORATION OF INDIANA.

CONNECTING DEVICE FOR ELECTRIC CIRCUITS;

Original, application filed August 7'; 1919, Serial No. 315,927.. Divided. and this application filed March 26,

To all whom it may. concern;

Be it known that 1,.SAMUEL M. Esrnn, a citizen, of the United States, and a resident of the city of Marion, county of Grant, and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and. useful Improvements in Connecting Devices for Electric Circuits, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to. connecting devices for electric circuits, and has for its object to provide means for connecting two or more plugs or translating devices. to a single circuit or receptacle; and furthermore to.

provide such a device which is of simple, economical, and durable construction.

This. application is divided out from: applicants prior case for connecting devices for electric circuits, Serial No. 315,927., filed August 7,, 19 -19, and allowed September 23, 1922.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

The invention consists in the combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, and in which Fig. 1, is a plan view of the connecting device;

Fig. 2, is a vertical longitudinal section taken on line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3, is a vertical cross section taken on line 33 of Fig. 2, and

Fig. 1, is a perspective view of the center insulating strip with the metallic contact strip mounted thereon.

The device comprises a metallic plug portion or screw-shell member 10 and two socket portions 01' screw-shell members 11 fastened to said member 10 by means of metallic arms 12 extending from member 10 and fastened on to members 11 by rivets 13 or other suitable fastening means, said rivets and arms also providing the necessary electrical connections between said screw shell members 10 and 11 thus forming the outer part of the electric circuit.

The center contact elements or center parts of the electric circuits of the plurality of shells are provided by means of a metallic contact strip 15 which is bentin the form of a loop 16 at its middle portion pro- Serial No, 621,559..

vid ing a yielding Contact point and extends overthe top; edge and down the sides of an insulating strip 18, being fastened thereon by means of rivets-19 or the like, the lower ends 200-15 said; strip 15 being bent laterally and extending'laterally into the shell members 11 to form contact points for light plugs inserted in said members 11. Said insulating strip is notched at its side edges so that it may be threaded into the screwshell: member 1O having snug engagement therewith, and will hold the metallic contact strip; 15 in proper spaced relation with shell members 10 and 11.,

A cylindrical insulating member or cover 21 of fibre; or other suitable material is mounted over each shell member 11 extending beyond: the ends of members 11 and providing the necessary protection in handling the device. An insulating plate 22 is mounted: across the inner end of shell, member 10' and engages the upper, outward parts of cover members 21, while the adjacent, inward parts of the members 11 engage the lower edge of insulating strip 18, said plate 22 and covers 21 being thus held in position. The plate 22 is of sufficient thickness and strength to hold the parts in position, and the overlapping points of said insulating members may further be held connected and in position by means of glue or the like.

IVhile for the purpose of illustration I have shown only the type of connecting device known as the double socket plug, my invention is not limited to such device, and there may be more than two sockets in connection with the plug part and they may be adapted for use with the standard Edison bases or other types of bases or a combination of such bases, and the plug may be in the form of the standard Edison base or in any other suitable form; and therefore, I do not desire to be! limited to the precise construction set forth, but consider that my invention includes, and I am at liberty to make such changes and alterations as fairly come within the scope of the appended claims.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a device of the class described, the combination of a screw-shell, a strip of insulating material held in position in said screw-shell by engagement at its side edges therewith, being in spaced relation to the screw-shell along the faces of said strip, additional screw-shells connected electrically with said first named screw-shell providing sockets on opposite faces of said insulating strip and being placed in diverging relation to each other, and means forming center contacts supported by said insulating strip in spaced relation to all of said screwshells.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination of screw-shell, additional screwshell means connected electrically with said first named screw shell, a strip of insulating material held in position by engagement at its side edges in said first named screw-shell and in contact with the upper ends of said additional screw-shells, and being mounted in spaced relation to the inner face of said first named screw-shell about the greater portion of the inner face thereof, and means forming center contacts supported by said insulating strip in operative relation to all of the screw-shells and insulated therefrom by said strip.

3. In a device of the class described, the combination of a plurality of screw-shells, a relatively thin strip of insulating material secured rigidly in position in engagement with all of said screw-shells, and a contact member held by said strip in position with respect to said screw-shells, being in the form of a strip of metal bent upon itself to form a loop contact point and secured upon the insulating strip with its end portions extending transversely with respect to said insulating strip.

i. In a device of the class described, the combination of a screw-shell, additional screw-shells connected electrically with said first named screw-shell, an insulating plate extending across the lower face of the first screw-shell, insulating covers mounted over said additional screw-shells and engaging said insulating plate with their upper outward edge, a strip of insulating material held in position by engagement at its side edges in said first named screw-shell and enga 'ing the upper inward edges of said additional screw-shells, and center contact means supported by said strip in said screwshells and insulated therefrom by said strip.

5. In a device of the class described, the combination of a screw-shell, additional screw-shells connected electrically with said first named screw-shell by means of metallic arms extending from said first named screw-shell and fastened to said additional screw-shells, a strip of insulating material 

